It was a sticky August afternoon, and my bananas had ripened in record time. I turn the oven to 350°F and grease only the bottom of a 9x5 loaf pan. Greasing the sides too keeps the batter from climbing evenly as it bakes.

Next, I cream the softened butter with 1 1/4 cups sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes. I still use my grandmother's old hand mixer for this part. The mixture turns pale and fluffy when it is ready.

Then I beat in the 2 eggs, one at a time, followed by 1 1/2 cups mashed banana. The batter looks slightly curdled at this point, and that is normal. The batter should look pale yellow with darker banana flecks throughout, never solid brown.

After that, I stir in the 1/2 cup buttermilk and a rounded teaspoon of vanilla until just combined. The batter turns thin and glossy at this stage. It should coat the back of a spoon in a thin, even layer at this point.

In a separate bowl, I whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. I fold this into the wet batter by hand, stopping the moment the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing here is the most common mistake. Stir a few seconds too long, and the loaf bakes into a dense, rubbery brick instead of a light one.

I fold in 1 cup chopped walnuts, then divide the batter between the pan or pans I am using. The batter should sit close to the top edge, not overflow. Walnut pieces should look evenly speckled throughout, never clumped in one corner.

I bake a single 9x5 loaf for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or two 8x4 loaves for about 58 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, with maybe a few moist crumbs attached. My loaf once baked evenly in the center but stayed gummy near one edge. I left it in until that spot firmed up, even past the hour mark.

Once out of the oven, I run a knife around the edge and flip the loaf onto a wire rack.

The recipe wants a full hour of cooling before the first slice. Twenty minutes felt like an hour once, and I cut in early anyway, crumbs and all. A loaf sliced too soon looks gummy in the middle, even when fully baked. Let it sit closer to the full hour when you can.

Note: This loaf is dense enough to slice thin and toast well the next day. Grease only the bottom of the pan, never the sides, for the best rise.

Approximate Nutrition: About 245 calories per slice (based on 12 slices, with walnuts).

Meta Description: Gold Medal Flour Banana Bread Recipe uses creamed butter and real buttermilk for a tender, high-rising loaf, ready in about 2 hours 35 minutes start to finish.